4 day getaway break

Panoramic view from room balcony

Just back from 4 nights at the Aphrodite Hills Inter Continental hotel and golf resort.  Without doubt a bargain break booked via UK company Golf Breaks.com.  It was far better to book on-line than directly with the hotel.  To be recommended.  The hotel was a typical Inter Con with number of bars and restaurants, not all of which were open but hey it is early December.  Many of the fellow guests were German or Austrian.  An excellent very comfortable room looking out onto the pool, which was not heated.  There was an indoor pool which we went to see, promising to go later in the trip but never happened.

Don't hit it left on this hole

Over the gorge to the green

Two rounds of golf came with the package.  A good job as the normal green fee would have been €101 each to play.  A very good course which is set on a plateau with the stunning backdrop of the Troodos Mountains on one side and magnificent sea views on the other.  It was a very good job that we had buggy carts as some of the distances from green to the next tee were up to 950m and then up and down tight windy cart tracks.  We enjoyed playing very much and each time were paired with a couple from Vienna.  It is always good to play with somebody else but in both cases their english was not great and our german non existing.  But it was fun.  Our play was OK too until we got to the greens which were the quickest and most slopping we had played on for some years.  It made it impossible to score well when you are three and four putting.  It was not just me and Lillian but our partners too.  A couple of holes were very pretty with one hitting over a large gorge.

We had a half board deal with the hotel so with huge buffet breakfasts and a choice of three or four dishes from a set menu in the evening meant we certainly didn't go hungry.  Spent one pleasant evening with a guy who was on a short break from the UK.  Lived in Mill Hill not far from Harrow.

With one day free from golf we drove to areas of the island that  had not been visited previously.  

Polis Beach

The village of Polis on the west coast was a pleasant stop where we walked through the village to the beach.  A quick look at the Baths of Aphrodite - another pile of stones of which there are plenty in Cyprus. We drove back through the Akamas National park, a long drive through the forest back to the hotel. The road on the map looked fine but it was no more than a dirt track with some very steep bends with sheer drops on one side.  Stops were made for Lillian to collect fresh cones from fir trees for Xmas decorations.  She is becoming very skilled at making them each year - pictures to follow.

Walking

Beautiful, bright and breezy morning so up early for a walk to the lighthouse and beach.  The wind is strong and quite blowy enough to wear a sweat top although the sun is a warm 72F.

One man and his two dogs and one lady sitting reading a book on the beach in a sheltered spot are the only people we see although we are out for 90 minutes.

Lillian, who is watching her BMI nearly kills herself running up and down the beach steps.  I stroll having decided a couple of days ago not to worry about my weight.  Back home Lillian sets about making Christmas decorations spraying and gluing together fir cones that we have collected over a period of time out walking.  She has great patience and already a wreath is made for the door.

Its starting to look like Xmas

Last Xmas Lillian bought a traditional pointsettia plant.  It was full of red leaves and looked lovely.  When it was time to leave Cyprus to return to the UK for our holiday in January knowing that the plant would be dead if left in the house I planted it in the garden.

On return to Cyprus the leaves had dropped and the plant looked dead.   However after time a few leaves started to sprout and the plant grew.  It is now two feet high and look ….. the leaves are turning red!

Xmas is coming to Cyprus.  St. Lazarus church in Larnaca already has it's large tree outside and Xmas lights are strung across the roads.  Even in Pervolia large Father Christmas models, some 6-8 feet high has started to appear on street corners.   But by a month today it will all be over!

Fitness

Sunset last night

When I was at college, a long time ago, we were asked to write an essay against the following statement.  "The only exercise I get is to walk in the funeral procession of my younger fit friends", said the old man.  I can't remember the grade I got when the essay was returned marked but I do remember the debate when I sat with beer in hand in the college bar with my fellow PE students.  I argued that fitness was specific, meaning that you need to be fit for the life that you wish to lead or task that you wish to carry out.  And so some 42 years on how fit am I and how fit do I need to be?

When I measure my BMI (Body Mass Index), a measure for human body shape based on an individual's mass and height, I currently measure 0.4 into the overweight category  0.5 of a reading less which equates to 4lb and I would classify as normal weight.  I am certainly the heaviest I have ever been in my life and wear the largest size trousers ever 36".  Not really a lot to worry about or is there?

Each 6 months a stress echo at the Royal Free Hospital brings comments from the technicians and doctors. I push myself as much as possible.My heart rate goes to 160 bpm. "You did really well" they say despite feeling I am going to pass out as the incline on the treadmill gets steeper and the walkway faster. I gasp for breath and am continually disappointed by what I feel is a slow recovery rate yet the doctors seem pleased.

Why all of this?  We have just been for an hour bike ride, up the hill to Faros lighthouse, along the cliff tops which drop right to the waters edge, commenting on the waves which are quite strong and home across the fields which is a fairly flat ride.  My thighs felt as if we had not ridden for some time but my lungs felt fine.  On Sunday we walked for about an hour and thirty minutes, Lillian keeping a brisk pace, even along the stony beach.  I felt out of breath at times keeping up with her and I was quite tired on our return.  So is fitness specific?  Probably I am as fit as I need to be for the life I lead.  I guess we all could be fitter but I accepted a long time ago I was never going to play one more game of football even though I would love to do so.  So I am happy that I don't need to be as fit as I was when 28 and as long as I can ride a bike and walk I'm doing OK.

The weather has been good the last week or so.  It still reaches 22/24C each day in the garden despite at times becoming cloudy.  The temperatures certainly drop once the sun has set and there is a need for a sweater whilst sitting at night watching TV but all is really very nice for the end of November.  There has been some great sunsets.  Red sky at night shepherds delight so the saying goes.  Well its working so far here.

Busy doing nothing

Hibiscus to the fore with bouganvillea still flowering.

After an enjoyable week with friends Derick and Jane and then a week away we have been working at 'Busy doing nothing very much'.

Unfortunately I picked up a cold from the trip to Riyadh which must have been from the air con and travel in general.  Not something that has happened to me much despite all of the travel that I have done over the years but when it does you can be sure I have shared it with everyone that gets too near.  Consequently as Lillian is the closest guess what ….. she too has a cold!

So a weekend lazing apart from a trip to the pub to watch England v New Zealand rugby.  I was sorely tempted to send SMS messages to all of our Kiwi friends when England went into the lead int he second half/  It was good job I didn't as true to form NZ whopped England in the last 20 minutes to be convincing winners.  It has not been a good week for England sport with two defeats for the soccer team and having risen at 0430 this morning to watch Ashes cricket I wish I hadn't sat through England being bowled out for 136!

Monday was bowls.  It seems a long time since I had played.  I was to be disappointed that nobody mentioned the fact that i had a new bowls bag, but why should they?  I certainly wouldn't have noticed anyone else's.  As usual two games, the first of which was interrupted by a sharp shower of rain for 5 minutes.  Whilst it has not been the first fall it has been the first that we have actually seen.  Everyone huddled under shelters and moaned …… goodness it was still 75F!  Lillian and I did not play on the same mats for any of the two games but I think for the first time we were both winners for both matches!

The garden continues to take time picking leaves and general trimming, a morning spent trimming the ficus hedge so that it keeps its 'flat top'.  The hibiscus are doing really well and we have never had some many flowers all at once.  There was a time in the summer we though they were in a drastic collapse as leaves were turning yellow and dropping daily but now they look a picture.

A week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Arrival on the first day at the school

I thought you have retired people are saying?  Well from being committed to working everyday I certainly have but when people ask about a short assignment why not?

So it was off to Riyadh last week for an assignment with a contractor from Vancouver, Canada.  I have known Doug for sometime who has his own education company so when he asked I could hardly refuse.  The task was to evaluate against international benchmarks, a private school which targeted local Saudi students.  It was owned and operated by a one of the richest mean in the Kingdom outside the Royal family.  How did it compare?  It didn't and was providing a fairly unacceptable education for a number of reasons which should not be disclosed here.

Some pad!

Saudi Arabia apart from having lots of desert and of course oil is fairly similar to the arab countries of Kuwait and Qatar both of which I have worked in.  The rights of the workers who come from out of country are minimal.  They are poorly paid, restricted in what they do and where they go.  They are unable to move to another job in country to better themselves as the sponsor / employee has power over the visa.  The ex-pat teachers, who were from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iran etc were quick to use a visit as a time to complain bitterly about their pay and conditions. It will be in the report, which is one of the longest that I have written on an evaluation.  The school spends more on mobile phones than teacher training!

Chris and Doug relaxing

Flights were via Amman in Jordan to Riyadh on the way out and via Beirut, Lebanon on the way back where I waited five hours for the connection to Larnaca.  It was a good time to catch sit and write the report with a beer in hand with no opportunity in the Kingdom with alcohol banned.  Hotel was an OK business hotel, new built with a typical arabic style although staffed by ex-pats except for management and front desk.  Therefore it was interesting to watch in the lounges, which were quite busy Saudis having to speak english to order coffee. drinks etc rather than arabic.

Highlights of the week?  A meal / meeting with some potential Saudi investors who are thinking they want to build a school. Picked us up from the hotel in a Series 7 BMW …. love being driven in these cars and say we are going to an indian restaurant. Surprised at the choice and when we enter are informed that its fully booked!  Can't believe they hadn't got somebody to do that for them!!! So we end up in a Lebanese restaurant.  Love the food and the people.  Our debrief took place at the owners house.  This is the 6th richest man in the Kingdom.  This was not a house but a palace.  The picture here was the fountain taken as we left, the arch being the gate out.

Kingdom Tower

I couldn't take pictures in the house out of politeness so you will have to imagine a dining room that sat 32 on circular tables.  There were 6 when we sat down to eat.  I managed to count 10 four seater sofas in various places for 'discussion' with wonderful artefacts and pictures every where.

The last afternoon was one of relaxation and a trip to Mishkat a project in Riyadh for young people to understand that as a country they need to think beyond oil as their only source of power.  I hands on, exploratory learning display that if it could be taken outside the Kingdom it would be a great success.  Very impressed.  The project was 'owned' by a Board member of the school and at the moment although it must have cost millions $ to set up is only open to school parties who are not charged for entry.  There is a need to educate the young!

A week with friends

A little behind with updating the 'blog' due to being busy and once again travelling (more on this later).

Since the last update we welcomed our last visitors of 2013 save daughter Emily coming for Xmas.  Derick and Jane Fulcher made their first visit to us although not their first visit to Cyprus which they say they visited some 8 years ago.  We have known Derick and Jan for some 25 years having first met on a skiing trip when we worked as couriers and they were clients.  As we reminisced our first meetings and their children Sophie and Sam whizzing down the slopes it only seemed a short time ago. Sophie and Sam are both married with children of their own now!

When not sitting chatting during which there was much laughing and joking we spent the week being hospitable with the normal visitor 'things to do'.  Walks along the beach and eating in the village are pretty much the norm and with the sun shining time strolling along the shore line was a great way to relax together.  A trip to Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus for lunch was a good way to see some of the island during the drive and a lovely place to visit.  An evening stroll along the promenade of Larnaca gave an idea of our town, although so very quieter than the summer months with bars and restaurants virtually empty.

A game of golf at Elea golf club was much enjoyed.  So much so we have persuaded them to join us on our annual trip to Turkey - next May 2014.

Of course there was the traditional stone laying ceremony.  A truly joint effort with both Derick and Jane contributing to the completion. D&J have a place in Cadiz in Spain hence the two maps of the respective countries.  The dotted line from Lillian to Chris represents the suggestion that we should go there next year.  That we will do at some stage - we have promised to accept the offer.  

Quick trip back to the UK

A week back in the UK where the weather except for a huge storm that blew across Southern England was surprisingly good.  It is always good to see family and friends and we managed to catch up with a number.  A visit to Clacton to see parents, night out with the children, time for Lillian to do some shopping with Emily and for me a couple of trips into London for a visa to Saudi Arabia.  Yes its back to work but only for a week to help a former colleague out on a consultancy project.  Three trips to the doctors for more tablets, blood tests and and general consultations.  All is good.

Back here the garden had done well and was in good shape, with pots surviving a week without TLC and good to see the sun still shining.

We have friends here this week - last visitors of the year.  Good time which will be elaborated on in the future however today is a day to remember

FIRST RAIN OF THE YEAR!  And quite a lot too!

Departing friends

So ....... home alone once again until the next visitors, the last of the year at the beginning of November.

The Plastows were 'chucked out' at Departures at the airport this morning and we waved as the British Airways flight   passed virtually over our garden some twenty five minutes late.  Don't know if they could see us or not but they were sitting on the right side of the plane with window seats.  Actually they were on the left of the plane but I'm sure you know what I mean.  We had all enjoyed their stay which allowed them to 'chill' after busy work schedules although looking at the UK weather it might be that they will chill at home also.  The weather could not have been better for them over the last seven days and once again today there are clear blue skies.

After the traditional fun with the stone laying ceremony and drinks on the patio as the sun set it was a walk into the village for a meal at Pyrgos and then into the pub to watch the England v Poland World Cup football match.  There was a good atmosphere with a solid 'round of applause' from most of the throng when the final whistle blew.

Today is the usual cleaning and clearing after visitors and Lillian in her normal efficiency had the washing machine going within the hour of returning home from the airport.  However a walk beckons later this afternoon as we move to 'remove' the extra pounds from a week of too much eating and drinking.  Its tough go being sociable.

Think of the best of UK summer days.  Blue skies, without a cloud, warm at 82F / 28C and at times a gentle breeze.  This exactly describes the weather here this week.

Pissouri Village

For visitors Chris and Nick its idyllic and just what they wanted.  Warm enough to sit out all day but not too hot to roast.  As ever with visitors a couple of days out.  One to Pissouri Bay, between Limassol and Paphos.  A lovely bay with sandy beach, good for swimming and sun lounging.  For Chris and Nick that is what they did but for Lillian and me it was a stroll to the very end of the bay to sit on a rock jutting out in the sea with legs dangling over the edge.  A good way to spend and hour.  Lunch at a beach side tavern and more walking and sitting.  Chris and Nick on the beach but for Lillian and I a seat in the shade where we passed the time with me testing her on 'greek verbs'.  Lillian continues to be modest in her capabilities of learning to speak greek but she impresses me every time she speaks, which is more and more now in shops and restaurants.

After time on the beach it was up to the main village and a stroll around the streets of Pissouri before more eating and drinking.  Food was typical of all village tavernas, although I enjoyed my pork chop, my staple diet! Late home as its a 90 minute drive but an enjoyable day.

With the weather warm and friends wanting to make the most of the sunshine yesterday afternoon was spent on our own beach at Faros.  The last open vendor for sun loungers needed the custom and only four beds were taken which was the complete reverse the day before at Pissouri where it was quite busy.

Lillian, Nick and Chris all braved the sea without too many grimaces whilst I played with the camera trying to take numerous pictures on different settings.  This sounds fine in theory but of course by the time you come to look at them you cant remember which setting was which.  I need to continue to experiment but with a notepad next time.

As the shadows grew so the beach became empty and even the vendor had left by the time we climbed the steps to the cliff top and the car park.

Stopped at the Artcafe restaurant, under the Faros lighthouse for a beer and chat before heading home.  New pergolas have been added with glass screens to protect from the winds and this really is becoming a good venue for sundowners.  The picture at the side gives some idea of the red sky.

Home for more drinks on the patio and a Sunday roast courtesy of Lillian.